UK considers expelling Israeli diplomats if Jerusalem consulate shuts, sources say

Key Points:

• Britain is considering expelling Israeli diplomats from its embassy in London if Israel follows through with its order to close the British consulate in East Jerusalem, a move prompted by Britain's sanctions on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
• Israel ordered Britain on September 8 to shut the East Jerusalem consulate within 30 days, affecting around 30 British diplomats and their families; the deadline ends this week.
• The British consulate in East Jerusalem, operational for nearly 200 years, manages relations with Palestinians in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza, and provides consular services to Palestinians.
• Britain hopes to avert the consulate closure and has sought European support to persuade Israel to reverse its decision, while any UK response might be delayed until after Israel's October 27 election.
• The dispute underscores growing international frustration over Israeli settlement expansion, which Britain, France, and Canada have sanctioned, viewing it as undermining the possibility of a two-state solution.